Calgary Flames assistant equipment manager Corey Osmak sought out a longtime hockey executive for a handshake last season, jokingly introducing himself as one of two selections from the 1990 Entry Draft still in the National Hockey League.

Him and Jaromir Jagr, now the new guy (and the old guy) at the Saddledome.

Jagr, the fifth-overall pick that summer, signed earlier this month with the Flames, the ninth stop of a career that started in Pittsburgh, has spanned 1,714 regular-season outings (and counting) and will end with shoo-in enshrinement to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Of the many measures of Jagr’s incredible longevity, this might be the most telling — that each of the 251 other prospects drafted on June 16, 1990, at Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium have long since retired from the sport.

Osmak started sharpening skates for some teammates while also patrolling the wing for the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, showing enough promise at the NCAA level that he was a ninth-round holler of the Hartford Whalers. He is now in his eighth campaign as one of the Flames’ hard-working, unheralded equipment guys after similar gigs with the Los Angeles Kings, the AHL’s Manitoba Moose and the WHL’s Regina Pats.

Several draftees from 1990 are now coaching.

Others are in broadcasting or scouting.

Some are in hockey operations. Both of Brad Treliving’s assistant general managers were selected that day — Brad Pascall to the Buffalo Sabres in the fifth round, and Craig Conroy to the Montreal Canadiens in the sixth.

“It’s amazing that Jags is still going,” marvelled Conroy, one of 13 grads of the Class of 1990 to join the NHL’s silver-stick club with 1,000 career regular-season outings. “I made it to 39, and I’m thinking, ‘Wow.’ I felt very happy and proud of that. But for him to be able to play at his age and to play at such a high level, it’s pretty impressive.”

Jagr debuted for his latest employer in Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime triumph against the Kings at Staples Center. Before recording his first goal or assist or even his first shot on net in Flames togs, he’d already marked his name in the franchise history book — a record that he erased in Friday’s 6-0 thumping from the Ottawa Senators, again in Saturday’s late date with the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena and could rewrite 70-some times over before it should eventually stand the test of time.

Jagr was 45 years and 238 days old for that clash with the Kings, the oldest guy to ever suit up on behalf of the crew from Calgary.

In fact, the oldest by a lot — almost five years beyond the previous mark.

Curtis Joseph was just six days shy of his 41st birthday when he made his last appearance between the pipes for the Flames.

The oldest skater was former captain Dave Lowry, who was 39 years and 114 days old on the night of his final game action. Conroy fell one week short of equalling that mark.

Most National Hockey Leaguers are fossilized by their mid-thirties. Not the Flames’ newest addition, signed to a one-year deal for what he says will likely be his final campaign. (We’re not sure we believe him.)

“Oh my God … ” started Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan, asked about the secret to Jagr’s longevity. “I think he can do it because, physically, he’s a specimen and, mentally, he’s real strong and has a passion for the game. The third thing is his hockey I.Q. He’s an elite thinker out there, especially on the offensive side of the game. Combine that with the physical attributes, that’s why he’s been able to keep going for so long.

“He’s got everything. Nothing has deteriorated. He’s been able to maintain that level for a long time.”

There were no busts among the top five in the 1990 NHL Draft, with first-overall prize Owen Nolan (Quebec Nordiques) followed by Petr Nedved (Vancouver Canucks), Keith Primeau (Detroit Red Wings), Mike Ricci (Philadelphia Flyers) and Jagr (Pittsburgh Penguins).

The Flames welcomed netminder Trevor Kidd at No. 11, while Keith Tkachuk (Winnipeg Jets) — his sandpapery son, Matthew, is now Jagr’s youngest teammate at the Saddledome — and Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils) heard their names called before the end of the first round.

Heading into Saturday’s meeting with the Canucks on the West Coast, the rock-star right-winger had piled up 1,914 career points, good for second on the NHL’s all-time list — trailing only The Great One, Wayne Gretzky — and 749 more than the elder Tkachuk, next-best among the Class of 1990.

“With Owen Nolan and Nedved and Jagr and Primeau, I remember there was a lot of excitement around that draft because I think the word on the street was any of these players are going to be franchise players for a long time. So it was exciting to be around there and to feel that,” recalled Pascall, who was in attendance to hear his name called by the Sabres at No. 103 overall and would spend four seasons in the minors after his college career on the blue-line for NCAA’s University of North Dakota.

“People knew that the top five or the top 10 were going to be real good players, but who would have known at that point that one of them would still be playing? Nobody would have guessed that.

“Connie and I have talked about that, like, ‘Holy smokes! Imagine still playing … ’ ”

They don’t have to imagine.

They can now ask Jagr, notorious for his late-night skates or gym sessions.

Fellow right-winger Curtis Lazar, one of 10 current Flames who wasn’t yet born when Jagr debuted for the Penguins in 1990, joked a couple of days back: “We’ve been told to keep our phones on loud at midnight, just in case he wants to go out for a spin.”

Or maybe he wasn’t joking.

“It is, truthfully, amazing,” Pascall said. “Obviously he’s a talented guy, but in order to play that long, you would need to have a tremendous passion for the game and a desire to win and to keep winning, almost an addiction to winning. And then whether you’re a 19-year-old prospect coming into an NHL camp or whether you’re Jaromir Jagr, born in 1972, you are going to have to come into the season in tremendous shape.

“Obviously, he has the skill and hockey sense and size and experience. But in order to keep it all together, you have to be in world-class shape.”

Echoed Conroy: “This guy is a machine. His work ethic and what he’s done … I mean, it’s legendary that he goes to the rink late at night, and all the workouts, and (Michael) Cammalleri was telling me that he’s got quite a routine after the game, too. So I’m looking forward to seeing all that. My hat goes off to anyone like that. I always root for the older guys now.”

There is nobody older in the National Hockey League, unless you check the coaching office or the management box or maybe the equipment room.

The next-oldest guy on a current player payroll is Minnesota Wild centre Matt Cullen, who turns 41 in early November.

Cullen was drafted in 1996. Jagr had one Art Ross Trophy, two Stanley Cup rings and three all-star game appearances by then.

In league history, only Gordie Howe (52) and Chris Chelios (48) have skated at a later age than the long-haired legend in the No. 68 sweater.

“The way I look at it, I don’t care what you did 20 years ago — show me what you can do for us now,” Jagr told reporters prior to his debut with the Flames. “It’s not about me. It’s about the team and my teammates. I don’t want to be there just to be there. I want to make them better.”

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